Category Archives: Music

Found on EBay – Frank Sinatra

Posted on May 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

A 33 rpm album of the audio from an uncompleted animated feature of “Finian’s Rainbow,” featuring Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, has been listed on EBay. According to The Times’ clips, this project was begun by Maurice Binder … Continue reading →

Posted in art and artists, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Music | Comments Off

Spade Cooley: ‘I’m not sure, but I think Ella Mae is dead’

Posted on April 5, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo Oct. 15, 1949: Spade Cooley and his daughter Melody pose for a publicity photo aboard his yacht. April 5, 1961: In a switch from its usual policy of keeping … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1961, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Music, Photography | 4 Comments

Spade Cooley Held in Wife’s Death

Posted on April 4, 2011 by lmharnisch

Los Angeles Times file photo April 4, 1961: Western music star Donnell “Spade” Cooley is accused of killing his estranged wife, Ella Mae, in a jealous rage after listening to tape recordings of her phone conversations about what the defense … Continue reading →

Posted in 1961, books, Front Pages, Homicide, Music | 4 Comments

From the Vaults — ‘Vamonos Con Pancho Villa!’

Posted on March 28, 2011 by lmharnisch

“Vamonos Con Pancho Villa!” (“Let’s Go With Pancho Villa!”) is the surprisingly dark, roughly hewn story of six friends who call themselves “the lions of San Pablo” and join the Mexican Revolution as much for the adventure as … Continue reading →

Posted in 1936, classical music, Film, From the Vaults, Music | 1 Comment

Found on EBay — Rube Wolf

Posted on March 12, 2011 by lmharnisch

This poster from the 1935 showing of “The President Vanishes” at the Paramount Theatre has been listed on EBay. Fans of vintage typography (you know who you are) this is for you! Bidding starts at $400, which is too rich … Continue reading →

Posted in 1935, Downtown, Film, Found on EBay, Hollywood, Music | Comments Off

Conductor’s Remarks on L.A.’s Music Touch off Sound and Fury

Posted on March 1, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 24-March 4, 1941: British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham comes to town to conduct two programs by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and my doesn’t he get people furious with his comments about classical music in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941, classical music, Film, Hollywood, Music | Comments Off

Grammys Hit a New Low in Conservatism

Posted on February 22, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 22, 1981: “The nominees this year represent a new low in Grammy conservatism,” Robert Hilburn says. "The gap in attitude between NARAS members — the people who are in the business of making music — … Continue reading →

Posted in 1981, Columnists, Music | 1 Comment

On the Frontiers of Ethnomusicology

Posted on February 11, 2011 by lmharnisch

Feb. 11, 1911: Among the items at the Southwest Museum is a flute, made of a human bone, that was discovered while excavating Native American graves on Santa Catalina Island. The flute was something of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1911, classical music, Music, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Matt Weinstock, Jan. 27, 1961

Posted on January 27, 2011 by lmharnisch

Jan. 27, 1961: Matt Weinstock has an item about folk music featuring singer Joyce James and guitarist Bill Fernandez. One of their songs is David Arkin’s “The Klan,” about a cross burning in East L.A. CONFIDENTIAL TO … Continue reading →

Posted in #East L.A., art and artists, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Music | Comments Off

Teena Marie, 1956 — 2010: ‘I wish I was colorless’

Posted on December 26, 2010 by lmharnisch

Teena Marie: “I’m a different kind of person. Blacks and whites don’t really react in any special way to me. I don’t get anything negative from blacks and not really anything negative from whites now. But I will say it was different before I started getting some popularity. I don’t think it was prejudice from whites as much as ignorance of something they didn’t know much about. You know, I wish I was colorless sometimes.”
Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Obituaries, Rock 'n' Roll | 4 Comments

Beatle John Lennon Slain; Shot Down Outside New York Apartment

Posted on December 8, 2010 by lmharnisch

Dec. 9, 1980: Former Beatle John Lennon, 40, who led a revolution in popular music that captured the imagination of an entire generation, was shot to death Monday outside his exclusive Manhattan apartment house.He was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, less … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Obituaries, Rock 'n' Roll | 3 Comments

Bruno Walter’s Last Concert

Posted on December 2, 2010 by lmharnisch

Dec. 2, 1960: Van Cliburn, the Cold War sensation who won the 1958 Tchaikovsky piano competition, performs the Brahms second piano concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Bruno Walter at Shrine Auditorium. [Yes, I cringe … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Music, Obituaries | 1 Comment

Bob Dylan in San Francisco, 1980

Posted on November 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

Nov. 11, 1980: Robert Hilburn writes about Bob Dylan playing at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater in a concert that emphasized his “born-again” Christian material rather than his standards. ”Unwilling to turn himself into a museum … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Rock 'n' Roll | Comments Off

Jimmie Fidler in Hollywood, Nov. 5, 1940

Posted on November 5, 2010 by lmharnisch

Nov. 5, 1940: CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNIQUE to Carole Lombard: Don't you think publicity about your farm life is being overdone? Your fans would much rather picture you in sables at Ciro's than in gingham milking a cow, … Continue reading →

Posted in Columnists, Film, Hollywood, Music, Nightclubs, Politics | Comments Off

Talking Heads at the Greek – Psychedelic Furs at the Whisky

Posted on October 20, 2010 by lmharnisch

Oct. 20, 1980: Robert Hilburn reviews Talking Heads at the Greek Theater. On the jump, Psychedelic Furs and Wall of Voodoo at the Whisky.

Posted in Music, Rock 'n' Roll | Comments Off

Voices – Joan Sutherland, 1926 – 2010

Posted on October 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

Nov. 22, 1966: Times music critic Martin Bernheimer interviews Joan Sutherland … in his Volkswagen? Yes, it’s true. She and Ricky (her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge) are getting ready to do “Lucia” at the new Met, which will … Continue reading →

Posted in #opera, classical music, Music, Obituaries | 1 Comment

The Incomparable Stan Freberg, II

Posted on August 13, 2010 by lmharnisch

Aug. 9-10, 1960: Here are Parts 2 and 3 of Ursula Baumann’s profile of Stan Freberg. "Mad Men" please take note: “I'm a bitter pill to Madison Avenue because I represent originality and freshness of approach — the kind … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, broadcasting, Music, Religion, Television | 1 Comment

Riot Closes Newport Jazz Festival

Posted on July 4, 2010 by lmharnisch

July 4, 1960: Newport, R.I. — “Mobs of students, many of whom had driven long distances to hear their favorite musicians, were broken up with tear gas bombs, streams of water from high-pressure fire hoses and flying wedges of police … Continue reading →

Posted in #Jazz, Music | 2 Comments

Why History Must Be Saved, Even When Nobody Wants It

Posted on June 17, 2010 by lmharnisch

The death of Ernest Fleischmann, former executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, offers a nice point of departure for a few musings about how casually we treat the past. About a year ago, I noticed a trash cart … Continue reading →

Posted in classical music, Lakers, Music | 2 Comments

Oh, Say, Can You See….

Posted on June 11, 2010 by lmharnisch

June 11, 1980: Ever since Sinatra and the Bee Gees sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium, everybody wants to try….

Posted in Dodgers, Music, Sports | Comments Off